Last Man Standing

8:12 AMHeather

"Those who stand for nothing fall for anything."

Alexander Hamilton

True confession time. I am not perfect. I know! GASP. And, neither is my family. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would cringe if someone witnessed those private and not-so-proud moments in our homes. Take Christmas Eve for example. I really had made a plan to make it a fun day. And, like most days, some tasks were in order along with the fun. This, however, did not go over well. There was whining, fussing and bickering. Not to mention the kids' behavior.

So, my man and I set the children down for a little come to Jesus meeting. We expressed our displeasure about the attitudes--including our own. We talked about the need for teamwork, and we clearly explained some impending consequences if everyone didn't man up. Then, in a rare flash of brilliance, I started a discussion on what kind of home environment we each desired. I asked every family member to use one word to describe how they wanted our home to FEEL to them. We talked about keeping those words in mind and being deliberate to create THAT kind of home. You know--standing up for THOSE things as our standard, instead of falling down the slippery slope of all kinds of foolishness and mayhem.

I wish I could say that since that conversation, we've experienced some sort of nirvana. But, at least we've more clearly defined some goals to help guide us when we misstep.

INTENTIONAL challenge: Take 10 minutes at bedtime or dinner or breakfast or in the car (you get the idea) to have a similar conversation with your family. Ask for each family member to give one word to describe how they'd like your home and family to be. Then, figure out a way to post these ideas as a visual reminder. Something like this.